ISIS Twitter Census and Data Science

Jonathon Morgan comes on the show to talk about using data science to analyze and understand issues in the Middle East. Jonathon is the co-founder of CrisisNET, and recently co-authored the ISIS Twitter Census with J.M. Berger.

Topics:

• The data collection and verification involved in making the ISIS Twitter Census
• Dealing with multiple languages in their data set
• Information that can be learned from a large data set of ISIS supporters
• Potential to use data like this to study radicalization and improve countering violent extremism strategies
• Why journalists, scholars, and others should try using data science tools and techniques
• How to start using data science, even if you have no experience
• Limitations of data science and “big data”
• How to ask the right questions to make your data more valuable
• How subject matter experts can better work with data scientists

Links:

• The ISIS Twitter Census: Defining and describing the population of ISIS supporters on Twitter – paper Jonathon co-authored with J.M. Berger for the Brookings Institution
• CrisisNET – an Ushahidi initiative to build a platform for the world’s crisis data, giving journalists, data scientists, developers, and other makers fast, easy access to critical government, business, humanitarian, and crowdsourced information.
• Partially Derivative – Entertaining and informative data science podcast Jonathon co-hosts with Chris Albon
• Resources — Partially Derivative – Great place to find out more about getting started with data science
• Jonathon Morgan (@jonathonmorgan) on Twitter
• Email Jonathon to find out more about organizations that link data scientists with subject matter experts
• Karl Morand (@KarlMorand) on Twitter

Thanks to Middle East Week patrons Alex Dunne and Michael Jorgensen! You can support the podcast by making a small donation on Patreon!

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Jordanian Salafism and the Jihad in Syria

Kirk Sowell comes back on the show to talk about his new paper Jordanian Salafism and the Jihad in Syria. We covered a lot of information including:

• What is Salafism and Salafi-Jihadism?
• Who is Abu Muhammad al-Maqdisi, and how did he come to play a central role in these issues?
• The split between Maqdisi and Abu Musab al-Zarqawi
• Jordanian Salafi-Jihadists turn towards Syria and Jabhat al-Nusra
• The effects of the ISIS-JaN split on Jordanian Salafi-Jihadists
• What the Jordanian government lets the Jordanian Salafi-Jihadists do, and why
• Maqdisi’s role in the efforts to free Jordanian pilot Moaz al-Kassasbeh
• What could be next for Maqdisi and the Jordanian Salafi-Jihadists

Links:

• Inside Iraqi Politics – biweekly newsletter that Kirk publishes
• Kirk H. Sowell (@UticensisRisk) on Twitter
• Karl Morand (@KarlMorand) on Twitter

Support the podcast by making a small donation on Patreon!
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Human Rights Abuses in Saudi Arabia

David Andrew Weinberg comes on the show to talk about human rights in Saudi Arabia. We covered many topics including:

• What are the most pressing human rights issues in Saudi Arabia?
• How much influence does the U.S. have to affect change on Saudi human rights issues?
• Saudi policies that have lead to, or perpetuated, human rights abuses in other Middle Eastern countries
• The strategic implications of Saudi Arabia’s human rights record
• What it takes to get changes implemented in Saudi Arabia
• How the U.S. can push for change without jeopardizing its relationship with Saudi Arabia

Links:

• Dr. David Andrew Weinberg | Foundation for Defense of Democracies
• New Report Documents Saudi Rights Abuses That Harm U.S. Interests
• Sweden Breaks Arms Agreement, Saudi Arabia Recalls Ambassador
• David A. Weinberg (@DavidAWeinberg) on Twitter
• Karl Morand (@KarlMorand) on Twitter

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This episode was supported by Scott Herbert. You can help support the show by making a small donation on Patreon!

Transcript of this episode – produced by Frederick Wertz

Understanding the Iran Nuclear Negotiations

Dina Esfandiary comes on the show to talk about the ongoing nuclear negotiations with Iran, including many issues that aren’t explained well (or at all) in news reports. Topics covered include:

• Netanyahu’s speech to congress and Israeli objections to a deal
• The issue of a “sunset clause” in the deal being negotiated
• Major obstacles the negotiations still need to overcome, and what is most likely to cause them to fail
• Problems with focusing on breakout time, and what the various centrifuge numbers being discussed really mean
• Details on the sanctions Iran has faced, and what could happen as they are removed
• How Gulf states, particularly Saudi Arabia, view the ongoing negotiations
• What could happen if a deal isn’t reached by the upcoming deadlines
• How the Supreme Leader and the Iranian public view the negotiations

Links:

• Dina Esfandiary: Discussing the extension of nuclear negotiations | IISS
• King’s College London – Dina Esfandiary
• Dina Esfandiary (@DEsfandiary) on Twitter
• Karl Morand (@KarlMorand) on Twitter

This episode was supported by David de Bruijn. You can help support the podcast by making a small donation on Patreon!

Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes

Transcript of this episode – produced by Frederick Wertz